Structure for swingably supporting and for elevating railroad spreader main wing



Sept. 29, 1959 c, w sHlPLEY ETAL 2,906,041

STRUCTURE FOR SWINGABLY SUPPORTING AND FOR ELEVATING RAILROAD SPREADER MAIN WING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 30, 1954 g3 mg gfyzzfofez MWM mmwm ,zg;

jzuerzzors Z@ i 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 @m m1 m c. w. SHIPLEY ET AL STRUCTURE FOR SWINGABLY SUPPORTING AND FOR ELEVATING RAILROAD SPREADER MAIN WING llll \rlll VII 1/ i I I I r I 1 I I r v 4 I v 5 I Sept 29, 1959 Filed Sept. 50, 1954 United States Patent STRUCTURE FOR SWINGABLY SUPPORTING AND FORZLEVATING RAILROAD SPREADER MAIN Calvin W. Shipley, Munster, and William T. Hart, Cedar Lake, Ind., assignors to 0. F. Jordan Company, East Chicago, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application September 30, 154,'Serial No. 459,245

4 Claims. (Cl. 37-105) The invention relates generally to improvements in railroad spreaders but relates more particularly to improvements in the structure for supporting the main spreader wing so that it may be swung between positions alongside the car and positions in which the wing extends at an angle to the car.

In certain prior constructions a stationary vertical post of circular cross section was provided, from which the main wing was suspended by means which rotated relative to the stationary post in the swinging movement of the main wing to and from the car.

Such constructions are open to a number of objections. For example, the stationary post column was deflected when the wing was operating at a narrow angle. Also, removal of the post when necessary was a difiicult operation since it required complete dismantling of the slide and stationary post arrangement.

Again, replacement of certain bushings, when neces 'sary, required complete disassembly.

Also, the arrangement was heavy and furthermore the excessive weight did not proportionately contribute to load carrying capacity. 7

Certain operating cylinders were located in an inaccessible place and the general arrangement was such that large frictional losses were involved in vertical movement of the parts.

Furthermore, because large diameter pneumatic pow- I ered cylinders were provided there was an undesirable ofiiset in the piston rod crosshead connection. Again, when substantial deflection in the rear stationary post column occurred vertical travel of the parts thereon was prevented. Another objection to previous constructions relates to a certain A frame which developed looseness in its connections to a heavy cast steel hinge, diagonal brace structure, and the tube of circular stationary post column. The general object of the invention is to provide a simplified structure which will, at the same time, operate safely and satisfactorily over longer periods of time. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a vertical post structure so designed that it presents the maximum strength cross section at all times to loads imposed by the main wing and transmitted to the vertical post column.

A further object of the invention is to provide struc ture for supporting the main wing whereby smooth and positive vertical travel on the vertical post can be attained.

Again it is an object of the invention to provide a vertical post structure, which shall be easier to maintain,

which can be more easily dismantled and removed, in

tural steel members generally available in the market,

thus avoiding, to a large extent, the necessity of making 2 special steel castings which have heretofore been required.

The above named objects of the invention, as well as other features, will more fully appear as the specification proceeds.

-In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in side road spreader embodying invention. 1

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view through parts of the spreader appearing in Fig. 1, as taken on the line 2--2 thereof. i a V I Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal sectional view as taken on the line 3-3 and on a scale enlarged over that of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through parts appear generally e preferred form of the ing in Fig. 2 on a scale enlarged thereover, as taken on appearing in Fig. 9 as taken on the line 10-10 thereof.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the in-: vention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, 11,1as a whole, represents a fragmentary part of a railroad e spreader car, as viewed in side elevation; The'car is designed to travel on the rails 12, by means of front and. rear wheel trucks, only one of which is illustrated in the drawings by dot and dash lines, and which bears the reference13. v

The car also includes a center structure which, as a whole, bears reference 14 on the top ofwhich is a deck 15. Secured to the bottom of the center structure and; extending transversely of the car is a channelmemb'erf- 16, the web or base portion of which faces upwardly.

At each side of the car there islp'rovided a pair of up standing angle members 18-18 spacedapart so as to framing. v

receive the channel member 16 between them and to which the lower ends of the angles 18-18 are rigidly secured as by welding. Extending transversely of the carat the upper ends of the members 18-18 is a channel member .19, similar to the lower channel member 16 'bu't with1 web or base thereof facing downwardly. The member 19 isposh tioned between the spaced members 18-18, the various; members being rigidly united as by welding.

Interposed between the central structure of 'thecar frame and the members 18-18 at opposite sides of the car are spacers 20-20 which are rigidly attached to the" adjacent parts. There is thus provided a strong support for the upstanding members 18-18 at each side of the car. The members 18-18 are further braced by means of gusset plates 21-21 at the top and which are'secur'ed to the cross member 19 and the members 18-18 respectivelyasbywelding. M The upstanding members 18-18 at each side of the car are further braced bymeans of diagonal structural braces 22-22 which are'secur'ed at their upper ends to the members 18-18 and 'theirlowerfendsyto the Cal The vertical .p o st assembly Since the vertical po'st"assembly at each side off car is alike, a description 'fone'willsufiice-forbotl l.

The post proper; which as a whore-sears e erence- 2s;

elevation of arail- 3 comprises a pair of channel members 2424, the flanges of which face and engage each other.

Extending throughout a major part of the post is provided with wear plates 25, 26.which span the flanges of the associated channel members 24-24 at opposite sides to which they are permanently secured as by welding 27.

The bottom end of the channels 24 rest upon and are welded or otherwise permanently secured to a plate 28, the plate 28 resting upon a wear plate 30 which rests upon the upwardly facing web part of channel 16. I

''On the under side of the web portion of channel 16 is a plate member 31 having a central upstanding stud portion 32 of cylindrical shape, and which extends through openings in the channel '16, wear plate 30 and plate 28. Wear plate 30 and stud plate 29 are-secured to the web portion of channel 16 by means of bolts and nuts 33, 34.

I A similar arrangement is provided at the top of the post, similar parts bearing the same reference characters primed.

From the foregoing description it is evident that the post can be rotated about the stud members 3232' as the vertical axis. It is, however, positively prevented from moving in any other direction.

Means for supporting the main spreader wing Means are provided and associated with the vertical post structure previously described for supporting the main spreader wing 40 of the railroad spreader, which wing may be of conventional construction.

It is required, in operation, however, that the spreader wing be swung away from the side of the car so that it assumes an angle with respect to the side of the car. Also, it is necessary that the wing, as a. whole, be raised and lowered and additionally that it be possible to swing the wing in a vertical plane upon a horizontal axis of rotation. The means associated with the post for this purpose is designated, as a whole, by the reference 41 and includes framing fabricated from steel plates and structural shapes.

The structure as a whole in side elevation is somewhat A shaped. The A frame 41 comprises side plates 42 and 43, spaced apart a distance suflicient to receive the vertical post freely therebetween. The plates 4243 parallel the web portions of the channel members 2424 of the post structure. The plates. 4 243 are substantially greater in width than the width of the web portions of the post channel throughout thereby providing portions which extend beyond the post at each side of the web portions of the channels constituting the post.

Vertically disposed channel members 4445 are positioned between the plates 42-43 and are secured to the plates as by rivets, welding or otherwise.

The upper ends of the plates 42-43 are provided with projecting portions 42 -43: and the lower ends are provided with relatively large projecting portions 42 43 Extending into the space between the projecting portions 42 -43 01 plates 42-43, is one end of a horizontally disposed structural member 50 constituting part of the A frame. The other end of the structural member 50 is united by a member 51 to the upper end of a diagonally disposed structural member 52, the lower end of the latter being rigidly secured between the lower projecting portions of the plates 42-43.

53 is a cylinder having a fluid actuated piston rod 54, the lower end of which is operatively attached to the main wing in known manner by means of a horizontal pivot member.

\ The inner end of the main wing 40 is secured between the projecting plate portions 42 43 by means of the horizontal pivot pin 55.

The structure just described enables the main wing 40 to be swung in a vertical plane upwardly and downwardly on the pivot 55, the wing as a whole being carried by the previously describedA-frame structure associated with the vertical post. As before stated, it is also necessary to provide for movement of the wing as a whole upwardly and downwardly. To this end the A-frame structure is mounted for vertical sliding movement on the vertical post structure. To facilitate sliding movement, the A-irame is provided with two pairs of rollers. One pair 56 is mounted on the upper end of the A-frame on one side of the vertical post and the other pair 57 is mounted on the lower part of the A-frame and on the opposite side of the post. The rollers 56 and 57 are rotatably mounted on horizontally disposed journals 56] and 571 extending between and supported by the side plates of the A-frame. As clearly appears in Fig. 4, the channel members 4445 terminate at points short of the rollers 5657 so that the rollers ride directly on the wear plates 2526.

For raising and lowering the A-frarne and with it the main wing carried thereby, there is provided an hydraulic cylinder 58, having a piston therein.

The piston rod 59 extends upwardly to a point of connection at 60 in a bracket member 61 which is secured to the flange portions of the vertical post structure.

The lower end of the cylinder 58 is provided with a lug extension 62, which in turn is secured between the plate portions 42 43 by means of the horizontal pivot 63. A source of hydraulic fluid under pressure is provided which, through suitable conduits and control valves, serves to move the piston longitudinally of the cylinder 58, thereby to move the A-frame and all parts supported thereby, longitudinally of the post.

The plates of the A-frame are reinforced by vertically disposed plates -71. A plurality of vertically spaced holes 70 and 71 are provided in the plates 70 and 71 respectively, which are aligned with like holes in the side plates of the A-frame.

Secured to the post, near the upper end thereof, is a bracket 72 having an outward projection 72 horizontally disposed. A pin 73 is provided which is adapted to be inserted through any set of aligned holes in the A-frarne to limit the travelof the A-frame on the post. The pin 73 will come to rest when it contacts the upper side of the bracket 72, as clearly appears in Figs. 4 and 6. The plates 42, 43 are also reenforced by a plurality of horizontal plates 75 welded thereto.

General remarks From the foregoing description it is clear that as the main wing 40 is swung toward or away from the side of the car, the upright post will rotate on the vertical pivots 32 and 32'. Thus, the forces exerted by the loads imposed on the main wing will always be transmitted to the strongest cross section of the vertical post.

The entire arrangement is lighter in weight than constructions heretofore provided and yet without sacrifice of strength.

The location and size of the hydraulic cylinder for moving the main wing vertically reduces the extent of the ofiset between the cylinder center line and that of the vertical post column which is advantageous.

The rollers provide for free and easy movement of the A-frame longitudinally of the post.

When necessary the post can be readily dismantled.

The vertically disposed plates of the A-frame are rigidified by a plurality of horizontally disposed plate members 75 which are secured thereto as by welding.

As will also be understood from the description and drawing, practically all of the structure can be fabricated from steel plates and conventional structural shapes.

It is believed the many advantages of the invention will be understood without the necessity of further description.

We claim: 7

l. The combination with the framing structure of a railroad car of an elongated hollow post, means mounting the post for rotation as a Whole about a vertical axis, said means comprising a transversely extending beam rigidly secured to the upper portion of the car framing,

a transversely extending beam rigidly secured to the lower part of the car framing, both of said beams having end portions extending laterally outward of at least one side of the car framing thereby presenting vertically spaced confronting portions disposed outwardly of the car framing, said elongated hollow post being positioned vertically between said confronting portions, plate members fixedly secured to and closing the upper and lower ends of the said hollow post and each provided with a central bearing opening, a top member positioned on the upper side of the upper beam, a bottom member positioned on the under side of the lower beam, said top member including a stud protecting downwardly through the upper beam and terminating in a cylindrical end portion positioned in the bearing opening in the plate at the upper end of said post, said bottom member including a stud projecting upwardly through the bottom beam and terminating in a cylindrical end portion positioned in the bearing opening in the plate closing the bottom end of said post, and means detachably connecting said top and bottom members to said upper and lower beams respectively, whereby said top member can be removed axially upward and said bottom member axially downward sufficient to withdraw said cylindrical stud portions from said bearing openings, thereby freeing said post for removal as a whole whilst within horizontal planes, of which the lower side of the upper beam and the upper side of the lower beam are a part.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the plate members fixedly secured to and closing the upper and lower ends of the hollow post are butted against the end edges of the post and are welded to the post ends.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which wear plates are interposed between the ends of the posts and the adjacent beams.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which the wear plates are secured to the adjacent respective beams by the means which serve detachably to secure said top and bottom members to said beams.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 881,253 Miller Mar. 10, 1908 1,585,915 Hohaus May 25, 1926 1,718,550 Ferris et al. June 25, 1929 1,723,299 Picard Aug. 6, 1929 1,765,854 Tellis June 24, 1930 1,836,049 Tellis Dec. 15, 1931 2,643,470 Kaeser June 30, 1953 2,674,385 Stauth et al Apr. 6, 1954 2,777,220 Bates Jan. 15, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 22,001 Finland Sept. 16, 1947 23,012 Finland Feb. 4, 1949 

